


A Twist of Fate (Or Loyalty and Duty)

by ThePoetess



Series: The Devil or the Deep Blue Sea [1]
Category: Horatio Hornblower - Fandom, Les Miserables, Master and Commander, Patrick O'Brien Series, Persuasion, Pride and Prejudice, Richard Sharpe Series
Genre: Anger, Archie Kennedy - Freeform, Archie and Shakespeare, Bad Dreams, Death, Deception, F/M, Folklore, Friendship, Gen, Heartache, Hurt, Intrigue, Jokes, Loss, Love, Loyalty, Marriage, Memories that Haunt, Sea Tales, and Duty, happiness, puns
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2018-05-27
Packaged: 2019-05-14 14:48:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14771699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePoetess/pseuds/ThePoetess
Summary: “What's past is prologue Leftenant Wellard, the past is behind us, it is the prologue, ghosts in your mind, ghosts in their multitudes cannot harm you now.” With that he went about ordering the men to load my dunnage aboard the jolly boat.





	1. A Question of Loyalty

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Every Age of Sail fan on land and sea](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Every+Age+of+Sail+fan+on+land+and+sea).



> "Hell is empty and all the devils are here."  
> \- The Tempest - William Shakespeare 
> 
>  
> 
>  All his sanguine expectations, all his confidence had been justified. His genius and ardour had seemed to foresee and to command his prosperous path. 
> 
> \- Persuasion - Jane Austen 
> 
> I really do hope everyone likes this crazy crossover story. I seriously didn't think I would get around to writing it, but I did. 
> 
> Just a side note: Wellard and Kennedy live, because I can't think of a world in which Horatio lives and Archie does not, it's unthinkable and Wellard is such a great person I just had to stop him from dying... Archie and Wellard are severely wounded yet survive. 
> 
> We start just before the happenings of Loyalty and Duty

~ Methought I saw a thousand fearful wrecks;  
Ten thousand men that fishes gnaw'd upon;  
Wedges of gold, great anchors, heaps of pearl,  
Inestimable stones, unvalued jewels,  
All scatter'd in the bottom of the sea:  
Some lay in dead men's skulls; and, in those holes  
Where eyes did once inhabit, there were crept,  
As 'twere in scorn of eyes, reflecting gems,  
Which woo'd the slimy bottom of the deep,  
And mock'd the dead bones that lay scatter'd by. 

\- Richard III - William Shakespeare - Quoted by Archie Kennedy once or twice to Horatio ~ 

"You have nothing to fear from the noose, Mr. Wellard." I did not yet believe Mr. Kennedy though I trusted him fully and looked up to him with the utmost respect, none could rank higher in my regard than those two men, Leftenants Hornblower and Kennedy, Mr. Bush was okay, I especially looked up to Leftenant Kennedy, Fourth Leftenant Kennedy who had such a kind air yet a troubled and complicated complex mind that I could not pretend to fathom, those two men were as opposite as north and south, while Mr. Hornblower could be a little straight-laced and bound to duty, he was not to be thought of as a bad sort, Mr. Kennedy was too much of a complex figure to unravel, I owed them much, would give my life for both, had almost given my mortal soul to save them from the noose. It turned out I had not to worry, yet still I did, I worried for Mr. Hornblower, myself, Mr. Kennedy, and Mr. Bush as well, nothing has changed in that respect, I still worry, though not about losing my life from the noose.

"Mr. Wellard!?" A congratulatory and smiling Leftenant Kennedy came to greet me at the wharf, it had been two and a startling half years since the mutiny, the trial, and subsequent conviction of Acting Captain Buckland and I was still dealing with the ghosts.  
I was just coming back off of a to brief shore leave which I had hardly enjoyed and I was miserable. The dark rain poured down soaking everyone careless enough to be stuck out in the gale, I was wet, cold, and unhappy, yet the sight of Mr. Kennedy hopping from the jolly boat onto the wooden wharf and sending me that half teasing good spirited half storm tossed smile as he yelled towards me "Mr. Wellard you are well soaked in the squall are you not?" made me instantly feel better spirited.

"As you are Sir?" I returned his smile with a weak attempt. 

The smile grew on his face and he chuckled softly light hair plastered to his ruddy forehead, he had burnt like a lobster in the sun from mornings ago and countless watches on the sun beat deck of Captain Hornblower's new ship HMS Retribution "You look like a lobster sir, so red as you are now," it was out of my mouth before I could stop, at first I thought he would take offence and reprimand me, only he laughed and his blue eyes lighted with a dazzling light, that was Mr. Kennedy's way "Days well spent Mr. Wellard," he quickly stepped forward and outstretched a hand to me "Or should I say Leftenant Wellard now?"

The past set a shadow upon my face, my eyes became dark and bereft of any life, and the memories flooded in, the beatings, the lunacy of the Captain, Captain Sawyer, the beatings, the mutiny - a hand was set on my shoulder gently and I shook myself from my black study to find Leftenant Kennedy with a face obscured in thoughts I could not read, he cleared his throat softly and his eyes stared into my soul “What's past is prologue Leftenant Wellard, the past is behind us, it is the prologue, ghosts in your mind, ghosts in their multitudes cannot harm you now.” With that he went about ordering the men to load my dunnage aboard the jolly boat.


	2. Hell is empty and all the devils are here.

"Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows Ra'tio, spirits of the long ago dead, I do believe Horatio that Mr. Wellard has been set upon by the ghosts of his past," 

Captain Horatio Hornblower sat stiffly tense in his chair as Archie Kennedy perched precariously on his Captain's dunnage chest "He reminds me of myself Horatio - long ago-" Archie's gaze glazed over into the long ago blank stare then he suddenly came back to himself and met Horatio's worried eyes.

"But what can we do Archie to help him? I hardly helped you," his dark brown eyes clouded "Mr. Hornblower, I'm not going to let you to fall into your pity, Horatio you have helped me in the utmost, in ways I cannot explain," Archie shot Horatio a weary smile and rubbed a tired hand through his sandy blonde locks "I know not how to cure him Ra'tio, only how to help force back his ghosts, he needs to know he is not alone, that he is among friends."

Then from above came Wellard's yelling voice "Sail to windward! Sail to windward!"  
Kennedy and Hornblower raced up the cabin stairs onto deck

"Leftenant Wellard report?" Kennedy was the first to unscramble the rush of words that spewed from Wellard as the young man sprang down from his perch and came to meet them saluting as a brief after thought "Two sails windward Sir, a Man-O-War each sir and gaining-" he gave another salute

Wellard turned to Kennedy as the Second Leftenant made a soft comment "we are suffering a sea-change Mr. Hornblower shall I get Gun crews ready?" Hornblower nodded briskly "See it done, and Mr. Wellard, Mr. Kennedy, be careful?" Kennedy made a mock bow "As always Captain Hornblower I am the very epitome of careful, Leftenant Wellard ready gun crews?" Wellard set about with the other Leftenants readying their men at the cannons. 

The ships came ever closer and they got ready at the guns to fire. 

Wellard's hands were unsteady as he gave the word "Runabout! Load cannon! F--- i- wait! Hold fire!? -" he squinted into the fog layered sea at the gaining ship "Oh lords," he left his post at the gun "Its one of ours sir! One of -" "Fire!" A cannon shot nearly hit the other ship before Wellard yelled again "Its a British Ship sir! The HMS Surprise!" Hornblower paled considerably at that "Indeed a surprise Mr. Wellard, indeed, Matthews raise our colors?" Kennedy and the other Leftenants steadied the gun crews


	3. The Devil or the Deep Blue Sea (Or simply, Styles makes a huge mistake)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> O, brave new world  
> that has such people in't!
> 
> \- The Tempest - William Shakespeare

"Sir - they're sending a boat sir, a jolly boat sir-" Hornblower gave a soft glower and sent a look towards Archie, who smiled at him temporarily before ordering some men to help with the disembarkation of the occupants of the jolly boat "Yes thank you Styles, I can see, I haven't lost that ability-" Styles frowned not sure if he was being put down "Yes Mr. Hornblower sir - only -" he was cut off by the arrival of the jolly boat and a loud and annoyingly familiar "Oui! Styles!? Oui! Oui! Funny feelers!" As a sunburnt Oldroyd leapt off the ladder and went to meet them. 

A older man greeted Hornblower and shook his hand tightly "Captain Jack Aubrey of the Surprise-" his eyes searched the deck "Captain Hornblower sir, Horatio Hornblower-"

"Which of your men fired on us Captain?" Hornblower looked for a answer "We were under the impression you were French Captain Aubrey - it was not our intention to fire upon one of our own."

The other ship sent a jolly boat and to everyone's surprise - another familiar face met them.

"Mr. Bowls!?" Kennedy yelled happily in surprise "Mr. Kennedy! And how are you sir? A nice new uniform and a Leftenantcy? My my Mr. Kennedy"

Another face was most unwelcome.


	4. This thing of darkness I acknowledge as my own

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His forward voice now is to speak well of his friend. His backward voice is to utter foul speeches and to detract.
> 
> \- The Tempest - William Shakespeare 
> 
>  
> 
> A unwanted remembrance of the past comes aboard the HMS Retribution.

"Let us not burthen our remembrance with  
A heaviness that's gone, Horatio, he matters little now" Archie whispered softly as he tucked a leg up on Horatio's dunnage chest and rubbed his head nervously mussing his sleek locks and bangs into a chaotic mess "Even so Archie," Horatio sighed softly, of a sudden he felt very weary "He was truly unkind to you Archie-" Archie blanched "More than that Ra'tio, more than just unkind - he-" his voice faltered. 

A sudden movement above drew Hornblower's attention "Beat to quarters beat to quarters!" Came William Bush's loud returns.

Archie and Horatio met surprised eyes and ran from the cabin onto deck "Mr. Bush!? Report?" 

"Enemy sails spotted starboard sir," Bush saluted with decorum and pointed out from the starboard side.

As noted three masts with sails stretched against the wind could be seen, flying the French colors. 

The crews of the HMS Retribution and Surprise and the other ship leapt into action, the thick air was filled with yells of "Beat to quarters!!!"

Meanwhile on the French ship, the Trocadéro, a forlorn face looked forward towards the looming British Frigate. 

"Regardez, ils sont prêts à nous souffler hors de l'eau" the frightened young man motioned towards the oncoming British ship as his sea sick companion peaked out through clasped hands and looked even worse when he noted the row of cannons pointed at them "Va chercher Enjolras, il doit le savoir."


	5. Is not this Stephano, my drunken butler?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hornblower and the others meet a band of French Revolutionaries fleeing France.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't mind the chapter name, it's from the Tempest.

The French ship cut through the water and Sebastian Enjolras on the ship deck frowned into the horizon, his plan had failed - failed - and with that he too was a failure - the barricades had fallen and - "Grantaire must you always - what!?" 

Sailors started running to the cannons readying themselves for a British attack.


End file.
